Theatrical novelty



May 22, 1928.

J. A. PARTINGTON Ti-IEATRICAL NOVELTY Filed May 3. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

May 22, 1928.

J. A. PARTINGTON THEATRICAL NOVELTY Filed May s, 1926 4 she ts-sheet 2 BY}; r

/ ATTORNEYS.

May 22, 1928.

J. A. PARTRNGTON THEATRI CAL NOVELTY Filed May 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

6% W 011/ BY $55322 'TTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Shae} 4 INVENTOR.

May 22, 1928,

J. A. PARTINGTON THEATRICAL NOVELTY Filed May 3. 1926 BY 1 g t 7' ATTORN YS.

Patented May 22, 1928.

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a 57mm JAcK A. rnnr'meron;on'shn rimncisco, CALIFORNIA.

THEATRICAL novnn'rv.

, Application filed May 3,

which may be mentionedthe convenient pro- VlSlOD of inovlng floats, additional stage 1 room, quick changes of additional stage-set tings, the provision of more than one scene simultaneously, the quick arrangement of such settings in a manner wherein the same willbemost clearly observed by the audience etc. Such a mechanismis disclosed in my Patent No. 1,563,782, granted Dec. 1, 1925. The primary object of my present invention is to provide such a mechanism" having various improvements and novel features not heretofore disclosed.

It is an object of this invention to pro vide a stage with a forwardly and rearward- 1y extending track, a track extending transversely thereof across the stage'5and one or more carriages: having means for driving the same on both tracks. and other means for'elevating the-carriages above the stage as in mysaid patent. Such a combination has variousadvantages-over my patented mechanism as hereinafter pointed out.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means beneath the stageand in connection with the carriage for conveniently providing the same withelectricalen ergy for lights, power, etc. i f i Another-object of'the invention is to provide novel form ofmaskingv for the rams which elevate the carriages, this masking including a series of electric lights arranged forwardly of the rams in such a manner v as to blind the audience to the rams when the rams are in the elevated position.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated certain embodiments ofmy-invention, but it'will be understood that the invention canbe otherwise embodied and that the drawings are 'not'to be construed as defining or limiting the scope ofthe invention, the claims appended tothis specification being relied upon for that purpose. Referring to the figures of the drawing: Figure l'is a plan view of astage' provided with my improvements herein described.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional; view thereof taken on line II--:II of Fig; 1.

1926.. Serial n 106,359. I

. FigureB isa view like Fig. 2, but showmm the-parts in another position. igujre lis a; sectional view of a detail. Figure 5 is a face viewthereof."

Figure 6 is a plan View of my improved carriage, partially in section.

Figure .7. is a side elevation thereof, par

tially. in sections.

F igure} 8; is afragmentary side elevation taken on line VIII- -VIII of Fig. 6,

.Figure 9 is a: cross section through the carriage on line IXIX of Fig. 6.

Figure 10 is-a sectional view taken on line-X-X;of Fig. 6. s 1 i g Figure 11 isv an enlarged view of the mechanism shownin Figure 10.

Figure l2-is a. detailed sectional view' taken on line XII- X11 of Figure 10.

- Figure-13 is a verticalsectional Viewv through the carriage and stage, and showing a ram andits masking. in side elevation.

Figure 14 is a like view but showing the parts in the elevated position.

' Figurelo is a plan view Ofithe stage and,

ram when. the ram in its ownward position beneath'th c n Figure 16} is asectionalfv'iew' taken on line. Xvi-Xvi r- Fig. '13.;

Inthe; drawings, 1 indicates the stageof a theatre having a forwardly and rearwardly extendingtrack 2 directly to the rear of the; i proscenium opening 3 A track 4 extends v transversely of -fthe stage and across the track 2. A relatively long carriage or platform. 5 and'preferably also a shorter carriage; 6 are mounted. on; Wheels adapted. to ride on these tracks. The. track 4 extends far cnollghjinto .the wings 7 toreceive either carriage therein WhBIL thB same is riding on the track-A. a

Each} carriagev is preferably provided with a .Sfib of wheels8 for riding onthe track 2 and;with-aset of wheels? for. riding on the trackL- These wheels and their operating mechanism in both carriages are identical and therefore adescription of one will suf fice. Aniotor 10 is connected to two'of the wheels-8 through ashaftll and :gears12 and 13 The shaft 11 is also connected to the axleldofthewheels 9 through spiral gears;

15; and 16 and gears 17 and 18. The spiral gears-16 and 17 are connectedtogether'and are loose on the shaft 19.

As illustrated, the wheels 8 are mounted only for-rotation on. the carriage, while the Wheels; 9 are mounted for bodily movement rams may be toward and from the tracks A pair of arms are keyed to each shaft 19 and rosupport the ends of the axle a bracket 22 is connected by bevel gears 23 to a'shaft 24 extending along the carnage.

Two worms 25 on this shaft mesh with wheels 26 keyed to the shaft 19. Rotation of the crank 21 is therefore adapted to pivotally move the arms 20 to the positions illustrated. .These arms are of course moved to change the carriage support from one track to the other, while the carriage is elevated on the rams now to be described.

A pair of outer hydraulic rams 27 and a pair of inner rams 28 are provided in-the positions illustrated in Fig. 1. These rams are normally beneath the stage floor as illustrated in Fig. 2 and are adapted to elevate the carriages as illustrated in Fig. 3. The carriage 5 is provided with a'pair of sockets 29 for receiving its lifting rams 27, and the carriage 6'is provided with a pair of sockets 30 for receiving its lifting rams 28. The

operated in the manner disclosed in my said patent and a description of such operation is therefore unnecessary herein. It will be noted that the carriage 6 is of a length adapted to pass'between the rams 27 and beneath the carriage5 supported thereon (Fig. 7

When the carriage 5 is elevated, it is ordinarily desired to hide the space therebeneath. A curtain 31 is provided for this purpose. A motor 32 with driving connections 38 to the curtain roll 34 is preferably provided for rolling the curtain. A weight 35is hung to the curtain bottom to hold the same taut and to aid in unrolling the same. Electric energy forlamps and power must of course be supplied to the carriage and I provide a novel means for supporting the electric cord in a manner permitting free movement of the carriage. A wheel having two diameters 36 and 37 is mounted on a bracket 38 beneath the stage floor adjacent a socket 39. The cord 40 is connected to the socket and extends about thesmall diameter 36, thence to and about the large diameter 37 and from thence upwardly through an opening 41 in the floor to the carriage at 42. A weight 43 normally rotates the wheel in a direction to wind the cord onto the large diameter. This arrangement permits a free long movement of the cord above the floor, while requiring only a short cord connection below the floor. Gruide rolls 44 at the hole 41 permits free movementof the cord in either direction.

When the carriage 5 is elevated on the rams 27 and the carriage 6 is to pass therebeneath, with the curtain 31 raised, it is of course desirable that the rams '27 shall not be in view of the audience. I have disclosed novel masking means herein which cooperates with the rams to hide the same at this time.

A Vertical trough-like mounted .to slide vertically through an opening in the stage floor forwardly of each ram 27. Several electric lights 46' are mounted in this. member forwardly of a reflector 47 therein. The electric current to the lamps is provided through a cord 48 beneath the floor; The member is supported by a flat plate 49 at its upper end, which plate is flush with the floor when the member. is down beneath the floor as in Fig. 13. A ring 50 projecting from the rear ofxeach plate 49 extends about its and is adapted to be engaged by a lug 51 on the ram and lifted thereby upon upward movement of the ram. It will be understood that the lights 46 will blind the audience from seeing the rams 27, it appearing that the carriage is supported. on the two columns of lights.

. it is believed that the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be clear from the above description taken in connection with the-drawings. The two tracks and the cooperating means for running the carriages on the same, provides means for making various kinds of scenes, wherein the carriage may be moved toward and from the audience, or in a direction across the stage. As an example of the latter, it may be suggested that the carriage might be decorated as a boat and moved very slowly across the stage with a very realistic effect The other novel features of the invention cooperating with the carriages and their operating means will, it is be lieved, be obvious.

Having thus describedmy invention,what I claim is: I p

1. A theatrical novelty comprising the combination of a stage, a forwardly and rearwardly extending track thereon, a track extending transversely of and across the first track, a platform, wheels for supporting the platform on the tracks, means for elevating the platform at the intersection of the tracks, and means for arrangingthe wheels while the platform is elevated so that the platform will rest on either of the said tracks when lowered.

2. A theatrical novelty comprising the combination of a stage, a forwardly and member 45 is ram 27 the other track, means for elevating theplatform at the intersection of the tracks,

and means for so adjusting one of said Wheel sets vertically while the platform is elevated that the platform will rest on either set of Wheels when lowered.

3. A theatrical novelty comprising the combination of a stage, a forwardly and rearwardly extending track thereon, a track extending transversely of and across the first track, a platform, a set of wheels for supporting the platform on one track, a set of wheels for supporting the platform on the other track, arms pivoted to the platform and carrying the second named set of wheels, means for elevating the platform at the intersection of the tracks, and means for pivotally moving the arms downwardly to a vertical position While the platform is elevated, whereby the platform will rest on the second named set of wheels when lowered, or to a position elevated from the vertical whereby the platform will rest on the first named set of wheels when lowered.

4.1A theatrical novelty comprising the combination of a'stage, a forwardly and rearwardly extending track thereon, a track extending transversely of and across the first track, a' platform, a set of wheels for supporting the platform on one track, a set of wheels for supporting the platform on the other track, means for elevating the' platform at the intersection of thetracks, means for so adjusting one of said wheel sets vertically while the platform is elevated that the platform will rest on either set of wheels when lowered, and power means on the platform for driving both sets of wheels,

5. A theatrical novelty comprising the combination of a stage, a forwardly and rearwardly extending track thereon, a track extending transversely, of and across the first track, a relatively long carriage having wheels for supporting the same on either track, a pair of spaced rams at the track intersection adapted to lift the carriage, a second carriage having wheels for supporting the same on either track and being of a length to pass between the rams beneath the first carriage when the same is elevated- 1 by the rams, and power means on the first carriage for driving the same.

JACK A. PARTINGTON. 

